What does a tiger's positive test mean for COVID-19 and pets?

TORONTO --
The news of a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York testing positive for COVID-19 is not a reason to panic about human-to-animal transmission of the virus, according to one animal health expert, but should rather be an important reminder for people to heed the same protective measures with their pets as they do themselves.

Officials say the case of four-year-old Malayan tiger Nadia becoming infected with the coronavirus is the first known case of an animal being infected in the U.S., or a tiger anywhere.

It’s believed the tiger became infected by a zoo worker who wasn’t showing any symptoms of the virus.

Dr. Scott Weese from the Ontario Veterinary College says Nadia’s story highlights some of what experts are trying to figure out when it comes to human-to-animal transmission of the coronavirus, including how common it is and what role animals can play in spreading it

Speaking to CTVNews.ca by phone from Milton, Ont., on Monday, Weese said that even though it is clear the virus can move from humans to animals, this type of transmission is likely more of a concern for animals than it is for humans.

While there have been a few documented cases of dogs in Hong Kong that tested positive for the virus, Weese is quick to point out that testing is hard to do and samples are difficult to collect, especially with large exotic species.

In a blog post he wrote on April 5 about the New York zoo tiger case, Weese said human-to-pet transmission of the coronavirus needs to be seriously considered in order to help prevent pets from contributing to human disease, and to help avoid “creating a (domestic) animal reservoir” for the virus.

“This is still very much a predominantly human disease, but we can’t completely ignore the role of animals even if it’s small,” Weese wrote.

This undated photo provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows Nadia, a Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York. Nadia has tested positive for the new coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the U.S. or a tiger anywhere, federal officials and the zoo said Sunday, April 5, 2020. (Julie Larsen Maher/Wildlife Conservation Society via AP)

FILE - This Sept. 21, 2012, file photo shows an entrance to the Bronx Zoo in New York. A tiger at the zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus. It's believed to be the first infection in an animal in the U.S. and the first known in a tiger anywhere, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Sunday, April 5, 2020. The zoo says all the animals are expected to recover. (AP Photo/Jim Fitzgerlad, File)